Interchange mechanism between two power sources



May 24, 1949. A. T. REYNOLDS 2,471,122

INTERCHANGE MECHANISM BETWEEN` TWO POWFR;SOURCESA Filed sept. 18, 194e v 4 sheets-sheet 1 May 24,- 1949. A. T. REYNOLDS INTERCHANGE MECHANISM BETWEEN TWO POWER-SOURCES 4 Sheets-Shed'l 2 Filed sept. 1e, 194e IN VEN TOR.

May 24, 1949 A. T. REYNOLDS 2,471,122

INTERCHANGE MECHANISM BETWEEN TWO POWER-SOURCES Filed Sept. 18, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet i fh - May 24, 1949- I A. T. REYNOLDS 2,471,122

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ES Patented May 24, 1949 UNITED? FFICE INTERCHANGE MECHANISM BETWEEN TWO POWER SOURCES Artie ThomasfReynolds, McAlester, Okla.

Application September 18, 1946, Serial No. 697,688

unit with which the primary andv secondary,

transmission means are alternately engageable for operating thepower-driven unit in the same direction -by 'either one offthe two power-sources.

The inventionincludesmeans for associationprimary and the secondaryfmeans; intermittent-A ly; at will and selectively as th'efneedlshall de"-l mand.

As showing` the' natureofltheinvention, ina-- simpler form, the same is illustrated;` rather `diagrammatically, in connection with an". airplane; but by novmeans is it necessarythat theinvention shall be exclusively soempl'c'iyed,M but may be-'used in connection-with lany mechanical as'- sembly requiring such sl'iuntingV from a` primary to a secondary source of power.

The type of plane is--alsoV immaterial,V asis also the shown arrangement of' parts,- which may hemod-ied or re-arrangedso-longas theprimary purpose of the inventionis maintained.

On t-hesheets of drawing, accompanying and forming a par-t of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a View showing the front end portion of aneairplaneefuselage'vv and propeller-bearing in longitudinal vertical central section. and conta-ining the noveln combination of elements that constitutes my invention, shown conventionally;

Fig. 2. is aview-in whiclr-the 4front part ofthe fuselage is shown in longitudinal horizontal section, and in which most of the novel combinartion of elements is shown as a top-plan view;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a clutching mechanism, partly in section, as a part of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a detail view, in side elevation, of a tiltable secondary shaft and control for the shaft of the secondary power unit;

-the propeller blades 8 and 9.

Fig. 5 is a crosssectional View of the clutchconstruction showing the splitr collar, the antie friction bearings, and the splines on the main driving shaft;

Eig. 6 is a 'planview of a modified iorm of secondary mechanism in which two motor-driven shafts and two speed-change gears are substitutedfor the single secondary shaft of Figs. 1, 2,V

3; 4 and 5.

In these several views, similar characters ofi reference indicate similar parts. Thefprimary power-unit, as well'as-the secondary power-unit are `only purposely shown -diagrammatically; and omitting parts which would confuse other essen- I tial parts, andwhich omittedparts constitute no essential part of the invention.

However, the diagrammatic engine outlines are designed to Ishowlthe usual motor in an airplaney (with-its appurtenances-omitted), and the secondary powermay be suitably generated electrically, or `otherwise driven.

Within the cowl I of any suitable type of airplane, part of' the bcdyo'r -fuselage ZWhereof is shown, is located-the primary motor 3, which operates a driving shaft Il. Upon this driving shaft 4 rotates a sleeve which isfcontrolled in a bearing '51 carried by a strut Ia that is secured tothe walls of the'cowl'. This sleeve 5' carries (integral therewith) a hub I from which extend The sleeve and hub are held to the shaft Iifby a nut I0.

By reference to the enlarged view of Figure 3, it will be seen that the -innerV end of the sleeve 5' is provided with a female element of a clutch Ill, and is lined at I2 with any suitable friction banding, such as rawhide, or the like.

Forward of the clutch-element II (and about the periphery `oithe sleeve 5) is a gear I3 which may either he cut irl-tothe body of Ithe clutchelement 5, or the gear ring may be applied tov the body of the sleeve 5*. This gear is designed to-mesh with a secondary gear, operated by a secondary power-shaft, operable from a secondary power-unit.

Mounted for axial sliding movement upon a multi-spline element I4, on and united with the main driving shaft 4, is the male element I5 of the clutch assembly, land is carried by a peripherally grooved hub I6, which is subjected to the clutching pressure of compression springs I'I, disposed helically about guides I8 that are threaded into a plate I9 which is mounted on the shaft 4 for rotation therewith and with the element I4. The guides I8 project into openings 20 in the hub I=6 of the male member I5 of the clutch` Movably mounted in the groove in the hub |6 are two halves 2| :and 22 of a split collar (see Figure 5), provided with ball-races 23 land 24 to retain ball bearings 25, so that the split collar has free movement in the groove, the walls whereof being also provided with like races for said ball bearings.

The halves 2| and 22 are provided with lateral studs 26, to which are applied bearings 21 formed on the end -of elongated arms 28 which extend outwardly from the bearings 21 suciently to pass the body of the primary motor 3 :and these arms 28 are united with an arm 29 (see Figure 2).

In the cabin 38, and in association with an operators seat 3|, is a lever 32 which is ful- `crumed at 33 to a brace 34, united with the floor 35. This lever 34, beyond its fulcrum, is pivoted at 36 to the arm 29. The lever 32 is controllable by a latch 31 which co-operates with a segment 38, united with the floor and within the reach of the operator at the seat 3|.

Upon moving the upper end of lever 32 forward, the clutchhead I6 will recede from the part of sleeve 5, and leave the latter idle upon the shaft 4.

In a bearing 39, is a secondary shaft 4|) to which is applied a gear 4| which normally is disposed away from the periphery of the gear I3, and this shaft is connected, through a universal joint 42, with a shaft 43 of a secondary motor 44, the latter shaft being journalled in a bearing 45.

The bearing 39 is carried upon an arm 46 which is fulcrumed upon a shaft 41 (see Figure 4) which is journalled in bearings 48 and 49; and this arm 46 terminates in a shoe 50.

On the arm 28, nearest the secondary shaft 48, is a cam 5| (Figure 2) with an inclined underface. The shoe 50 is inclined and against the face of the cam 5|, but free to move with relation thereto.

Upon shifting the upper end of the lever 32 forward, the arm 28 will move rearwardly, and cause the cam-face of the cam 5| to slide on the shoe, pressing it downwardly, thus tilting the arm 46 and lifting the bearing 39 and causing the gear 4| to operatively engage with the gear I3; so the secondary motor 44 and secondary transmission mechanism thereby takes on the opation of the shaft 4, While the primary motor 3 and clutch-mechanism (Figure 3) are relieved from operating the shaft 4.

When it is desired to again operate the shaft 4 from the primary motor 3, the upper end of lever 32 is pulled to a rearward position, thus closing the clutch, and this same motion of lever 32 will allow the shaft to move and disconnect the gear 4| from the gear |2. The shifting mechanism is controlled by a spring 52 (Figure 4), connected to the bearing 48 and to the support 49 in a proper relation to yieldingly hold the gear-wheel 4| out of engagement with the gearwheel I3 when the airplane is inverted or very unsteady when in operation.

In Fig. 6 the secondary motor is shown at 60 with its shaft 6| journalled in two bearings 62 and 63, between which is located a gear 64, and meshing with this gear is gear 65 mounted on a shaft 66 corresponding to the secondary shaft 40 of Fig. 1.

In the modifications shown in Fig. 6, wherein the secondary motor 44 is substantially the same as that of Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 6| indicates a rigid extension of the motor-shaft journalled in a bearing 62 and having a driving gear 64 united therewith. A bearing 63 has a joined secondary shaft 66 journalled therein, and this secondary shaft has a gear 65 thereon of less diameter than the gear 64; so this arrangement constitutes a change-speed mechanism.

Though I have shown and described several different forms of this invention, I have no intention to limit my patent protection to the precise details of such disclosure, for this invention is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the invention ideas as implied and claimed.

My invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a power-interchange mechanism, the combination of a driven element that includes a gear-wheel and a clutch element, a primary motor, a primary driving shaft operatively connected to said primary motor and journalled in said driven element, a clutch-element secured on said primary driving shaft and movable into and out of cooperative engagement with the rst said clutch-element, a secondary driving shaft, a. secondary motor operatively connected to said secondary driving shaft so as to effect rotation of the latter, a secondary gear-wheel united with said secondary shaft, means to shift the secondsaid clutch-element out of engagement with the iirst-said clutch-element, and means cooperative with the first-said means and with said secondary driving shaft for moving said secondary gear-wheel into operative engagement with the first-said gear-wheel.

2. The combination defined by claim 1, springmeans on said primary driving shaft for yieldingly holding the second-said clutch-element in engagement with the first-said clutch-element, and means cooperative with said secondary driving shaft for yieldingly holding said Secondary gear-wheel out of engagement with the first-said gear-wheel.

3. The combination defined by claim l, said driven element comprising a propeller-hub and containing a peripheral groove, a journal-bearing for said tubular driven element, the bottom and walls of said peripheral groove being a journal that is adapted to rotate in said journalbearing while the bearing is between said walls and thereby limits movements of said tubular driven element along its axis.

ARTIE THOMAS REYNOLDS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Harnischfeger Oct. 6, 1931 Number 

